Alice in Wonderland. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Indeed, she had quite a long argument with the Lory |спор с попугаемЛори|, who at last turned sulky |в концеконцовнадулся|, and would only say, “I am older than you, and must know better;” and this Alice would not allow |буквально – непозволяла. Лучше – непринималаврасчет| without knowing how old it was, and, as the Lory positively |решительно| refused to tell its age, there was no more to be said.

At last the Mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority |авторитетной личностью| among them, called out, “Sit down, all of you, and listen to me! I’ll soon make you dry enough!” They all sat down at once, in a large ring, with the Mouse in the middle.

Alice kept her eyes anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad cold if she did not get dry |высохнет| very soon.

“Ahem!” |звук откашливания| said the Mouse with an important air, “are you all ready? This is the driest thing I know. Silence all round, if you please! ‘William the Conqueror, whose cause was favoured by the pope, was soon submitted to by the English, who wanted leaders, and had been of late much accustomed to usurpation and conquest |Вильгельм Завоеватель сблагословенияПапыдобилсяподчиненияангличан, которыенуждалисьвлидерах, ибылинепонаслышкезнакомысузурпациейизавоеваниями|.

Edwin and Morcar, the earls |графы| of Mercia and Northumbria —’”

“Ugh!” said the Lory, with a shiver |с дрожью|.

“I beg your pardon!” said the Mouse, frowning |нахмурившись|, but very politely: “Did you speak?”

“Not I!” said the Lory hastily.

“I thought you did,” said the Mouse. “– I proceed |продолжу|. ‘Edwin and Morcar, the earls of Mercia and Northumbria, declared for him: and even Stigand, the patriotic archbishop of Canterbury, found it advisable |нашел это благоразумным| —’”

“Found what?” said the Duck.

“Found it,” the Mouse replied rather crossly: “of course you know what ‘it’ means.”

“I know what ‘it’ means well enough, when I find a thing,” said the Duck: “it’s generally a frog or a worm.

The question is, what did the archbishop find?”

The Mouse did not notice this question, but hurriedly |спешно| went on, “‘– found it advisable to go with Edgar Atheling to meet William and offer him the crown. William’s conduct |правление| at first was moderate. But the insolence of his Normans |Но наглость его воинов-норманнов| —’ How are you getting on now |Кактытам?|, my dear?” it continued, turning to Alice as it spoke.